Motor cooling system



1949- B. c. MONROE 2,479,585

MOTOR COOLING SYSTEM Filed July 23, 1945 Patented Aug. 23, 1949 MOTOR COOLING SYSTEM Benjamin Cullen Monroe, 'luoeoln, IIL: Myron E.

Lollar executor of said Benlamin roe, d

Cullen Mon- Application In]! 23, 1945, Serial N0. 606,688

3 Claim. (Cl. 126-170) This invention relates to a liquid cooling systern for an internal combustion engine. By way of example, the description to follow will refer to a jacketed automobile motor with which is connected a radiator forming part of the cooling system therefor.

it is customary with a vertical internal combustlon engine that is jacketed to provide top and bottom connections therefrom to a radiator at points adjacent its top and bottom. A liquid coolant introduced into the radiator will then occupy the space interior-1y thereof, also the spaces within the connections to the engine, and also the jacketed space which surrounds the engine cylinders and which extends into the head thereover. The highest temperatures are usually encountered in the region of the engine head from which the top connection leads to the upper part of the radiator. In operation, the liquid coolant is circulated, either forcibly or thermosiphonically, through a circuit path passing downwardly through the radiator and upwardly through the jacketed space of the engine from whose head it emerges to pass on and into the radiator at a point adjacent its top.

It is a common experience from time to time that some of the liquid coolant should be lost, as by leakage or evaporation. stances the coolant requires replenishment, usually by introduction of the liquid coolant through the filling spout at the top of the radiator. If the level of the liquid coolant be sufiiciently low, the engine head is liable to be excessively hot. The introduction of fresh liquid coolant, usually at room temperature, must then he performed with extreme care. Should any of this relatively cool liquid coolant enter directly into the engine head while it is still at high temperature, then cracking of, or other damage to, the engine head or engine block is liable to result. It is largely to prevent such a contingency that this invention has been designed.

Another feature of my invention relates to the special connection between the engine head and the radiator top. As herein to be disclosed, this comprises a tube made of flexible material which is bent to provide an upwardly extending gooseneck forming angular walls which may be moved toward or from each other as required by conditions. Such a tubular fitting serves, among other things, to absorb vibration. It is also capable of giving in any direction, particularly lengthwise of the connection between the engine head and radiator top, so that it will never be In such circumtending to impair or break the connection itself. This is a point or importance because. in operation, a radiator may become loose and start to vibrate, and the capacity of its connection at the top with the engine head to give and adjust itself easily to the relative movements between the engine and radiator is a factor in prolonged serviceability of the cooling system.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown a conventional motor having a cylinder block B surmounted by a head H, formed with communicating jacketed spaces l and 2, respectively, through which a liquid coolant may be circulated. Operatively associated with such a motor is a conventional radiator R having a head tank 3 into which liquid coolant may be introduced through an opening in the form of a filler spout i normally closed by a cap 5. This head tank is disposed at an elevation substantially higher than the head H 01' the cylinder block. An ovenilow pipe 6 which extends from a point adjacent the top of the head tank will conduct excess coolant downwardly through the radiator for discharge at a point therebelow.

Extending laterally from the radiator at a point adjacent its bottom is an outlet here shown as an elbow ID with which may be connected a flexible tube H leading to a nipple l2 forming an inlet to the jacketed space of the motor block B at a point substantially lower than its head H. The outlet from the motor head is in the form of an upwardly and forwardly extending nipple l5 connecting at its forward end to the rear end of a flexible tube l6 in the form of an angularly flexible goose-neck or inverted U whose forward end is connected to a nipple i I extending rearwardly from the radiator top tank. Clamping bands l9 fitted around the tube l6 adjacent its ends may be tightened to fixedly secure the tube to the nipples with which it connects. The goose-neck is disposed with its hump extended upwardly whereby its inside wall I8, located at the high point in the system. forms a dam over which the liquid coolant is required to pass in its normal circulatory movement therethrough.

In operation, the cooling system of my invention will perform substantially the same as with the conventional systems of the present time. The liquid is circulated outwardly from the jacketed engine head H through the goose-neck connection and over the dam therein before entering the radiator head tank. At this point the liquid travels downwardly, and thence outwardly from subjected to excessive tensional strain, thereby the radiator bottom to re-enter through the inlet I! the jacketed engine space at a relatively low point from which it proceeds upwardly to the outlet IS in the head H. In its passage through the radiator the liquid is'relieved of considerable temperature units so as to remain effective as a cooling medium during its circulatory movement through the jacketed engine. Thespecial' connection formed by the flexible goose-neck fltting between the engine head and radiator top avoids tensional strains resulting from vibration of the radiator relative to the engine, or vice versa. This is due to the flexible character of the tubular fitting which is formed with the goose-neck whose opposite walls are free to assume various angular positions, thereby avoiding tension strains and also shifting movement of the ends of the goose-neck fitting at the points wherethey are frictionally or otherwise secured to the nipples with which they are connected. Thegoose-neck fitting is desirably made of rubber or a rubber composition.

Whenever it becomes necessary to .add new liquid coolant to the system, replenishment is made by pouring through the filler spout d. When so doing, even though the coolant be poured in overly fast, it is prevented by the dam wall 18 from moving reversely through the gooseneck to enter first into the motor head which at the time may be excessively hot. The coolant is accordingly required to pass downwardly into the radiator until the desired level has'been attained. As pouring proceeds, the level of liquid coolant in the jacketed engine is also raised until, when within or beyond the level of the engine head H, there can be no further liability of ensuing damage. By this simple means, which involves no moving parts, I effectively protect the motor, regardless of its temperature at the time, whenever replacement of the liquid coolant is to be made.

I claim:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine, having a jacketed block and thereover and in communication therewith a jacketed head, a liquid cooling system therefor comprising a radiator having a bottom connection with the jacketed engine block and a top connection with the jacketed engine head and defining therewith a circuit path through which a liquid coolant may be circulated, and an angularly flexible gooseneck in the top connection, extensible endwise thereof to adjust itself to relative movements between the engine and radiator and avoid tensional strain thereon, said goose-neck being formed from a continuous piece of flexible tubing with a bend intermediate its ends, and having its hump extended upwardly to constitute the high point in the circulatory system over which the liquid coolant is required to flow, the inside wall of the hump of the goose-neck extending a substantial distance above the level of the point of connection of said top connection with the radiator and preventing water introduced into the upper part of the radiator from moving reversely through the goose-neck into the en ine head.

2. In combinationrwith an internal combustion engine having a jacketed block and thereover and in communication therewith a jacketed head, -a liquid cooling system therefor including a radiator having a bottom connection with the jacketed engine block and a top connection with the jacketed engine head and defining therewith a circuit path through which a liquid coolant may be circulated, the engine head having a laterally extending nipple, the radiator having a laterally 'extending nipple at the upper part thereof and a filling opening adjacent the top connection to the engine jacket, said top connection comprising an angularly flexible goose-neck having opposite end portions thereof fitting on said nipples, said goose-neck being extensible endwise of said top connection to adjust itself to relative movements between the engine and radiator and avoid tensional strain thereon, and said goose-neck being formed from a continuous piece of flexible tubing with an upward bend intermediate its ends to provide a double inside wall upwardly extending to constitute the high point in the circulatory system over which the liquid coolant is required to flow, said inside wall of the goose-neck extending a substantial distance above the level of the nipple on the upper part of the radiator and preventing water introduced into the upper part of the radiator through said filling opening from moving reversely through the goose-neck into the engine head.

3. In combination with an internal combustion engine, having a jacketed block and thereover and in communication therewith a jacketed head, a liquid cooling system therefor comprising a radiator having a bottom connection with the jacketed engine block and a top connection with the jacketed engine head and angularly flexible means in the top connection, extensible endwise thereof to adjust itself to relative movements between the engine and radiator and avoid tensional strain thereon, and said means forming a dam constituting the high point in the circulatory system over which the liquid coolant is required to flow during circulatory movement through the system, said dam extending a substantial distance above the level of the point of connection of said top connection to the radiator and preventing water introduced into the upper part of the radiator from moving reversely through said top connection into the engine head.

BENJAMIN CULLEN MONROE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,284,177 Camden Nov. 5, 1918 1,324,865 White Dec. 16, 1919 1,458,129 Curran June 12, 1923 1,565,275 Henkel Dec. 15,1925 1,571,108 Diamant Jan. 26, 1926 

